Munda wins trust, to expand Cabinet soon

Although the Arjun Munda government today comfortably won a vote of confidence in the 81-member in Jharkhand Assembly, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders remained jittery about the longevity of the government.

The confidence vote sailed through despite the absence of three United Progressive Alliance (UPA) legislators including the lone Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) member.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also got its nominee elected as the Speaker. Inder Singh Namdhari was elected as the Speaker in a voice vote amid an uproar by the Opposition members.

Later after a 15-minute break, the new Speaker allowed Chief Minister Arjun Munda to move his motion of confidence as UPA members trooped to the well of the House, the motion was voted. After asking those in support to raise their hands, Namdhari declared that the trust motion had been carried by 40 votes.

Later outside the House, he told reporters that the Opposition count was 37. He said apart from Kamlesh Singh (NCP), who is in a hospital, there were two more members""Joba Manjhi (UGDP) and Sukhram Oraon (JMM)"" who were absent.

He said as the numbers favoured the chief minister he had declared the motion carried. On the disqualification demand, he said matters could be taken up under the law.

Earlier, as the House assembled, the Opposition insisted that pro-tem Speaker Karia Munda take up disqualification proceedings against Singh and Enos Ekka, who they claimed had violated their party whips by supporting the Munda government.

Karia Munda made it clear that he could only take up the business of Speaker's election and other issues could be taken up later.

Then he put the motion for Namdhari's candidature to a voice vote and declared him elected amidst the Opposition protest. Conducted to the Speaker's podium, Namdhari later adjourned the House for 15 minutes even as the chief minister was congratulating him on his election as the uproar continued.

Soon after winning the trust vote, Munda said he expected constructive support from the Opposition for the sake of the state's development. On ministerial expansion, he said, "very soon. Within two-three days".

On the UPA creating a pandemonium before the Speaker's election and the subsequent vote of confidence, Munda said the Opposition had no other option since they knew they were short of numbers. The Opposition had been "exposed" in the numbers game with its claims, trying to mislead and create confusion, he said.

Meanwhile, hours after the Munda ministry won the trust vote in the Assembly amidst pandemonium, a UPA delegation today met Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibtey Razi and apprised him of the day's developments in the House.

"We told the governor how the Tenth Schedule incorporating the anti-defection law was openly flouted in the House," state UPA convenor Stephen Marandi told mediamen near the Raj Bhavan here.

He said the governor was informed that the UPA was not bothered about the "loss or gain" in the House, but if strong action was not taken to protect the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution then "big parties could suffer splits".

Protesting against protem speaker Karia Munda and Speaker Namdhari's not listening to the UPA's demand for a discussion on the anti-defection act in the House before the Speaker's election, Marandi said "we had letters of support from both the NCP and the Jharkhand Party and whip of the parties to their respective MLAs. But they did not listen to it."

Expressing disappointment over the "violation" of the anti-defection law, Marandi said the UPA would seek an appointment with the President to apprise him of the events in the House.